


That was impressive

by Talvi



Series: Fictober2020 one-shots [6]
Category: Linkin Park
Genre: Best Friends, Depression, Friendship, Gen, References to Depression
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-02
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-09 03:14:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,642
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27357856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Talvi/pseuds/Talvi
Summary: "Do something crazy" and Chester screams for 17 seconds.Also. How much of actual feelings are in the song lyrics?Depressive Chester and Mike trying to be a good friend.
Relationships: Chester Bennington/Mike Shinoda
Series: Fictober2020 one-shots [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1954255
Kudos: 7





	That was impressive

Chester was unique. Mike knew it from the very first moment they met. His energy was something different, and Linkin Park of course was what it was because of him.

"Shut up, Mike. You're not giving credit to the others guys and that's not fair, am I right?" Chester asked one time they were all having dinner together.

The singer looked around for confirmation of what he just said. Joe thought about it for a second then shrugged, Brad and Rob were busy having their own conversation and Phoenix was having the time of his life focusing on the sushi he ordered. Chester rolled his eyes but smiled. He did love the praise, but he was fully conscious that the band functioned perfectly as a whole, no element was more important than the other. Maybe, just maybe, except for Mike.

"But…" he said with a playful smile "since we're playing that game. You are the one who makes everything work, Shinoda. You with all your ideas. I just go around and sing and scream when you tell me to."

Joe smiled at them and nodded.

.

A few days later it finally was time to record at the studio again, Mike's favorite thing to do and something he could actually do without almost any rest.

"Take one hour, Mike" said Chester sitting on a couch with a small plate of chinese food "Come on, come eat with me"

"Just one minute, there's this thing I want to…" replied the rapper but stopped suddenly when he saw there was only the two of them in the room "hey… where are the guys?"

"At home. You told them to come back in a few hours, don't you remember?"

"And why are you still here?"

Chester just shrugged and kept eating before Mike got up and sat next to him "Okay, I'll eat with you for a minute or two"

"Let it be three"

Mike took a few bites and smiled

"It might become more than five probably"

"You work too much"

"We all do"

"True"

They ate in silence for a few more minutes before Chester spoke again

"What are you working on right now?"

"Given up"

"It's a great song"

"It is. But there's something missing…"

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure… it is a great song indeed, but it needs more… more… damn, I don't even know what I'm looking for…"

"Well if it's something related to the singing part, I'm right here to help"

"Really? I thought you were tired for the day, I don't want you to hurt your voice"

"Mikey, we've known each other for so long, you know I take good care of my voice, and if I'm too tired or something, I'll let you know, ok?"

"Alright, I trust you, get in there" he said pointing to the recording boot while coming back to the console.

Chester got back to his place, put on the headphones and started humming when the music started to play. He sang the song until the chorus and saw Mike's thumb up when the music stopped.

"I think the uhm… the lets say, the big surprise factor… should be somewhere else in the song. Lets uhm… lets try after the second chorus, you've got the drums, the guitar, a bridge. You listen to it once and then… you know, try to come up with something crazy, alright?"

"Something crazy, Linkin Park style, sounds about right. Got it."

Then the music came back and Chester screamed for almost 18 seconds. He did it and a few seconds later the music stopped and he looked at the other side of the glass, in silence for an expectant moment, waiting for Mike's reaction.

"Chester. That was impressive"

"Glad you like it" he said smiling, pleased with himself

"Like. Great. We're keeping it. Lets go again with that."

"I'm sorry, what?" Said Chester with a bit of disbelief in his voice "you want me to do THAT again?"

Mike laughed softly and that laugh just convinced Chester to do that crazy thing as many times as it was necessary.   
.  
So he did it on the first concert they performed Given up and it was crazy, the crowd was left speechless and they could only scream Chester's name. The singer would end the concert even more excited than before and he seemed to have the energy of a ten years old child who just drank an expresso. 

So after the band went to their respective rooms, Chester sneaked into Mike's, still talking, non-stopping, about how great the production of the show was that night, about how awesome Rob's drums were and Oh God Mike! Did you hear the guitar on Faint? Mike smiled while the singer opened a can of orange soda and sat on the bed.

"You sure are proud of those 17 seconds, uh?" 

"Wouldn't you? I mean…" Chester replied, smiling and moving his head from side to side "I mean… all my career… all the time I've been studying and preparing my voice…"

"I am proud of you. In every single song."

Mike sat next to the other and Chester rested his head on his shoulder

"Good. I want to make you proud."

Mike smiled fondly. He hugged the other close to him and they sat there in silence for the eternity of a few minutes. The eternity of Given up.

"Ches, man, I… wanted to ask you something. If you don't feel like answering that's alright too."

"Mh… don't scare me, Shinoda. Alright, ask away."

"The song… the lyrics… of Given up…"

"Yeah."

"How much of that… how much of that is part of… your current emotional state?"

Chester stared in silence for a moment.

"I don't know how comfortable I am sharing it now… i mean, you're my best friends, but things… my life isn't easy, Mike. I know it seems like I have everything figured out, wife and kids and doing what I like and you guys but, but my mind us a dark place constantly and I can't seem to control it. It takes over me and I'm just there like a lost child lying senseless. I wish I had better words to describe, sometimes I wish I weren't so explicit in my lyrics, but this thing in my head that doesn't work just… I wish I could tell you, Mike, that right now my life is good. But I'm not feeling that good. I get depressed during the day and I lay down on the bed with the lights off and I can't even get up to play with my kids. Mike, I…" Chester looked down, moving his head from side to side, not knowing exactly what else to say.

"Hey Chaz, don't worry about it, man, it's alright… we've been friends for so long and you know I'm always here for you…"

"But I don't feel alright! Why? Why can't I be happy?!"  
Mike swallowed and looked at his friend. It had been over a year since the last time he saw him have an outburst like this. He wondered for how long had Chester been suffering alone and in silence this time. And why he had not seen the signals he knew very well.

"Have you been drinking again?"

Chester just shrugged, it was clear he didn't want to talk about it anymore and there was a part of Mike that regretted asked in the first place, the worst thing that could happen now was Chester shutting down and not reaching to him, enduring the rest of his suffering alone. And how long would it last this time? A month? Two? Three? Mike would rather think it would just go away easily. He would rather believe Chester was following his treatment, because even if he asked, he would not get an answer now.   
The singer sat on the couch, his hands covering his face, clearly in distress. Mike put a hand on his back and waited in silence. Minutes passed by until Chester got up, picked up his things from the near table and started walking out of the room. Mike didn't ask, he did the same and followed his friend. Still in silence, they sat in Mike's car.

"Where to?" He asked after a few moments. Chester was looking outside the window, like looking at a lost point in space "Ches? Want me to drive you home?" 

"Not home. Not like this."

Mike nodded and he started driving in the night without a clear destiny. What was clear was that Chester needed time and space and Mike would give him just that.  
After around half an hour, Chester spoke again.

"Can we go to the park for a while, just sit there, see the people passing by… it'd be nice"

Mike knew that even at this time there would still be people on the park and nodded with a faint smile stopping there. Then, he followed Chester to the small lake and there they sat. The singer did not say a word until an hour had passed.

"Please don't tell Talinda. She probably knows what's going on but I don't want to worry her more"

"I won't. Promise."

"Thanks."

"You feeling any better?"

"Yeah… yeah, as good as I can feel under the circumstances… I mean… yeah, you know"

Another hour passed by and just then Mike heard Chester's cheerful voice again

"I think we should go get something to eat. What about fried chicken?" He said patting Mike's back and getting up with a small jump, rushing to the car.

Mike looked at him. He knew this wasn't going to be the last time this happened. But for now, he just trusted Chester would be honest with him, knowing he can trust him anything.  
With that in mind, he smiled and walked to the car.


End file.
